Removes principal place of business requirement of
"Set-Aside Act for Disabled Veterans' Businesses."

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

An Actconcerning the principal place of business
requirement of the "Set-Aside Act for Disabled Veterans' Businesses," and
amending P.L.2015, c.116.

Be It
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 2 of P.L.2015,
c.116 (C.52:32-31.2) is amended to read as follows:

2. As used in this act:

"Contracting agency"
means the State or any board, commission, committee, authority or agency of the
State.

"Department" means
the Department of the Treasury.

"Disabled veteran" means
a resident of this State who is certified by the federal Department of Veterans
Affairs as having any degree of service-connected disability.

"Disabled veterans'
business" means a business which [has
its principal place of business in the State,]
is independently owned and operated and at least 51% of which is owned and
controlled by persons who are disabled veterans or a business which [has its
principal place of business in this State and]
has been officially verified by the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs as a service disabled veteran-owned business for the purposes of
department contracts pursuant to federal law.

"Disabled veterans'
business set-aside contract" means a contract for goods, equipment,
construction or services which is designated as a contract with respect to
which bids are invited and accepted only from disabled veterans' businesses, or
a portion of a contract when that portion has been so designated.

(cf: P.L.2015, c.116, s.2)

2. This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

The "Set-Aside Act for
Disabled Veterans' Businesses" defines a disabled veterans' business as a
business which has its principal place of business in the State, is
independently owned and operated, and at least 51% of which is owned and
controlled by persons who are disabled veterans, or a business which has its
principal place of business in this State and has been officially verified by
the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as a service disabled
veteran-owned business for the purposes of department contracts pursuant to
federal law. The act also includes a goal that contracting agencies will award
at least 3% of their contracts to disabled veterans' businesses.

This bill removes the requirement
that the businesses have a principal place of business in the State of New
Jersey. This change may increase the pool of businesses and subcontractors
eligible to compete for the State contracts, which may help contracting
agencies meet the goal that they award at least of 3% of their contracts to
disabled veterans' businesses.